Download Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Empire

Spanish Conquest of the Aztecs
Hernando Cortes, the Spanish conquistador or conqueror, landed on the shores of Mexico in
April 1519. He was seeking adventure, wealth and glory. He brought with him 550 men, 16
horses, 14 cannons and a few dogs. He was greeted on the shores by messengers of the Aztec
ruler, Moctezuma. Wanting to demonstrate his power, Cortes fired his ship’s cannons. The
Aztecs were stunned. They had never seen anything like this before; they rushed back and
reported to Moctezuma.
The Aztecs ruled a vast and powerful empire. Aztecs controlled the southern part of
what is today Mexico. The Aztecs were skilled warriors. Much of the empire was made up of
conquered kingdoms. Aztecs allowed each conquered tribe to keep its own culture, language
and religion. However it forced conquered tribes to pay a tribute or tax to the Aztec rulers.
Many tribes were forced to pay so much in tribute that they lived in poverty.
Religion was an important foundation in Aztec life. To the Aztecs, the two most
important gods were Huitzilopochtli – the god the sun and of war – and Tlaloc – the god of rain.
The Aztecs feared the gods, especially Huitzilopochtli because he had the power to destroy the
world if he wanted. To please the gods, the Aztecs often offered human sacrifices.
When Moctezuma first learned of the Spanish arrival he thought that it might be the
fulfillment of an ancient prophecy. According to legend, the Aztecs believed that the god
Quetzalcoatl had sailed east to join the sun god, warning that he would return on Quetzalcoatl's
name day to reclaim his kingdom. This would be the end of the Aztec Emperor. The Aztecs
believed that the god could take many forms, including that of a pale-skinned, bearded man.
Moctezuma believed that Cortes must have been Quetzalcoatl; he welcomed the strangers to
Tenochtitlan (ten-ohch-teet-LAHN), capital of the mighty Aztec empire, saying “it appears that
our lord has returned to his country. Go hence and receive him worthily.”
When the Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortes and his army arrived in Tenochtitlan,
they were amazed by what they saw. The island city was built in the middle of Lake Texcoco,
connected to the surrounding land by three great causeways. Stone aqueducts delivered fresh
water to the city residents. A network of canals made up the city streets, and farmers grew
vegetables on ingeniously constructed chinampas or floating gardens. There were palaces,
parks, ball courts, a zoo, a bustling market, and an awe-inspiring temple complex. Tenochtitlan
was the hub of a rich civilization.
Cortes wasted little time. He immediately seized Moctezuma and took him prisoner.
Moctezuma ordered his subjects to bring huge amounts gold and silver to the palace but Cortes
refused to free him; instead he demanded even more gold. The Aztecs rose up against the
Spanish. The conquistadors were ruthless, using their horses, guns and swords to slaughter
defenseless citizens and soldiers alike. However, eventually the Spanish were overwhelmed by
numbers and forced to retreat. The Spanish regrouped and laid seize to Tenochtitlan. They
blocked boat traffic and stranded the city without supplies. Then an epidemic broke out among
the Aztecs. Finally, with most of their warriors dead from disease, starvation or war, the Aztec
empire surrendered.